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Topic: Acadia Accident Sunday (Read 6881 times)

Heard about this on TV and found this online. Appears that a "guide" was involved - and a rope was cut/failed. Of course we all know that can mean anything the way these get reported. Anyone know anything else? Hopefully all recover fully.

DLottmann

"The rope appears to have broken because it wore through while rubbing against a sharp rock, he said."

Since top-belaying is the norm there I'm wondering if it was a belayed rappel, or lowering incident. Plenty of edges there deserve consideration. We probably won't hear from those involved but I really would like to know what system was being used at the time of the accident.

DLottmann

“Basically, they had a rope cut above the point where the three people were secured to the rope,” said Tierney, who said he’s climbed Otter Cliff about 100 times a year for the last 20 years.

The male climber and the guide fell off the side of the cliff, a drop of about 22 feet, Tierney said. The female climber was at the base of the cliff, waiting for instruction from the guide, he said.

“She was on the ground below. She was the one having difficulty. The guide went down to coach her through a difficult move and when the guide fell, it ended up pulling the other climber off with him,” he said."

So... my typical set up for top belaying there, which I think was kind of invented my Tierney, is to fix the middle of the rope and have a "rappel line" for the climber to go down (lowering over a harsh edge ain't good), so the active climbing end of the rope is only loaded in the event of a 2nd's fall...

So if the guide was going down to coach, I would think he would go down the fixed side, maybe he went down the delay strand to be able to still belay her while below... still how would he pull the 3rd client off if the rope cut above him... and if it cut above the 3rd guy on top that means it cut back the edge? What the hell cut the rope there?... I can't picture this at all...

It is with deep sadness that Acadia Mountain Guides, Inc. reports a climbing accident in Acadia National Park on the morning of June 15 in the vicinity of Otter Cliffs at Acadia National Park. Two people were injured in the accident and were taken to Maine Coast Memorial Hospital for further evaluation and treatment. They were treated and released today.

We have notified the families and we will do everythingpossible to support the injured parties and their family members.

All of us at Acadia Mountain Guides are distraught by this incident. It is the first significant accident in a twenty year history of guiding in Acadia National Park for Acadia Mountain Guides Climbing School. The accidentwill be thoroughly reviewed both internally and externally in hopes of further preventing future incidents.

I would like to thank the NPS rangers, MDI Volunteer Search and Rescue, Bar Harbor FD, Eli Simon from ACS and the many guides from Acadia Mountain Guides who provided care and participated in the rescue.

I don't see an admission of guilt. It specifically states that it is being reviewed both internally and externally. Even if they are guilty of not following accepted industry practices I doubt they will admit it because under the rules of subjugation an insurance company is not liable to pay for the incident if the insured states that they are guilty. Before we come to any conclusions we should wait for the full facts if they ever come out. It is obvious something went wrong but the cause has yet to be determined.Wishing a speedy recovery to the injured parties.

there is two part to assume some one is guilty: the act and the intention. Here it is clear that the guide want to help the lower climber to climb. As he was on the rope, I assume that he didn`t commit a suicide: intention to be hurt by doing some thing wrong.

If you do some thing, be hurt in doing so and you follow accepted industry practices...who is guilty?

The principal idea in climbing is to climb safe: it is not to follow accepted industry practices in my opinion.

DLottmann

The principal idea in climbing is to climb safe: it is not to follow accepted industry practices in my opinion.

I would say one does not exclude the other, though “industry standards” are sometimes “over safe” in a recreational setting. Someone who is guiding professionally is wise to follow “standards” to protect themselves if something un-foreseen occurs.

I do hope some info can be shared to help the community as a whole without negatively effecting Jon’s company.

I would say one does not exclude the other, though “industry standards” are sometimes “over safe” in a recreational setting.

When I was with new climber and bring them to the cliff, I used to say: " I am firm with you but the rock is harder" (in French, the words hard or firm is used with two meaning: - "firm" meaning that I place you in situation that you must get out without knowing if you are in danger or not...- "firm, hard", meaning that when you fall on the rock you will be injure.

at an ethic point of view, learning how to get out of a dangerous situation is better to learn with a guide who protect you them to learn in over safe place and realize alone in a cliff that you are in danger or felt to your death

at a commercial level, I admit that there is client who practice climbing at a recreational level who don't have time and interest in knowing there safety. They can use bolt and guide. I also admit that there is teenager and young men attract by the challenge of climbing like Joe cote, SA, Base, Jim Surette, etc and need to be supervised by a mentor in less than safe route to gradually learned safety in real situation before learning how to play on rock like children play in a park with all the rules of it.